Mixing apparatus



Mafch 21,1939. J ALAVINE I 2,151,123

MIXING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Jaco& OZ. Lmvzjnc,

March 21, 1939. J, A LAVINE 2, 151'; 123

MIXING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwucmon (@605 0%. Lafia'rae,

Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

druggists in connection with the intimate admixing of fluids and the like in the preparing and filling of prescriptions, it will be evident that the mixing apparatus may also be readily employed in the admixing of other materials.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a relationship of parts which, in association, produces a compact, but reliable and eflicient mixing apparatus which is portable in character and may readily be accommodated in the relatively crowded quarters of the average drug store laboratory.

It is further within the purview of the present invention to make the constituent parts of the apparatus of a character such that they may be readily disassembled for the purpose of replacing or exchanging particular parts when, for any reason, this is found to be necessary or desirable.

As will hereinafter appear, the present invention provides a relatively uncomplicated and commensurately inexpensive unit which may be conveniently operated wherever a supply of electric current is available.

Briefly stated, the new and improved apparatus comprises essentially a source of power, 3 an oscillator including means for securely retaining thereon a receptacle adapted to contain the ingredients to be admixed, and means for interconnecting the said source of power with the said oscillator. The latter means is preferably of such character, according to the invention, as to be capable of converting relative rotary power from the source of power, which may take the form of a small electric motor, into relative oscillatory movement at the oscillator. This means, 4-0 moreover, is preferably of a construction such as to counterbalance any tendency of the motor shaft toward Whipping or excessive vibration due to the conversion of the rotary movement into oscillatory movement. Electric power for actu- 45 ating the motor may preferably be obtained by means of a conventional plug which may be associated with a conventional electric outlet. The specific details of the above outlined general relationship of parts is described in detail in the following specification proper.

Other objects and advantages of the apparatus according to the invention will be apparent to those familiar with the art to which the invention belongs, from the following detailed description thereof, particular reference being made to the preferred exemplary embodiment illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings.

On the said sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an assembly of parts constituting a preferred form of mixing apparatus in accordance with the concept of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the oscillator and associated parts, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the adjustable base of the oscillator assembly;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the base of Figs. 4 and 5.

Corresponding elements are designated by corresponding reference characters throughout the several figures of drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, reference character l0 designates a base member which constitutes a common support for the parts comprising the mixing apparatus so that the latter may be transported as a unit. This base member 10 may be removably aifixed to any supporting member such as a laboratory table or the like in any suitable and/ordesirable conventional manner, such for example as by means of bolts or clamping members or the like.

Securely mounted on base 10 are, on the one hand, a small electric motor I I, and on the other hand, an oscillator assembly 12, the latter being interconnected with the motor through the medium of member 13.

The electric motor H may be of any suitable and/or desired conventional size and type, and may preferably be supplied with electric current through conduit [4- which terminates in a coni ventional plug for plugging into the usual electric outlet. Base 10 is preferably also provided with a suitably interconnected switch l5 whereby operation of the device may be conveniently controlled at the base.

The oscillator assembly, according to the preferred illustrated embodiment of.the invention, comprises essentially an upright wall member IS, a horizontal clamp supporting arm I! which may conveniently consist of a lateral extension at the top of vertical wall member 16, and an adjustable receptacle supporting platform which also extends laterally from the wall member 16 in the same direction as arm ll.

Wall member I6 is provided along each side thereof with a rearwardly extending flange l8, the flanges l8 and wall I6 defining therebetween a slideway, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The lower end of wall I6 merges into a downwardly directed perforated extension H) which preferably is coplanar with the wall itself, but is somewhat narrower than the latter.

The journal bearing on which the oscillator is arranged for oscillatory movement may assume the form of a pair of spaced perforated ears 20 extending upwardly from a common base plate 2| which is bolted or otherwise securely fixed to base I9. Extension I9 of wall received, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, between ears 26, with the perforations of the latter in alinement with each other and with the perforation of the said extension so that a pivot bolt 22 may extend therethrough and be held in place by nut 23 or the like.

The container which holds the ingredients to be agitated or intimately admixed with the aid of the present apparatus is intended to be p0- sitioned in the space defined by wall H5 at one side, arm I1 at the top and the platform at the bottom. The container will, of course, rest on the platform. In order that the container may be securely clamped in place, arm I! is provided with an adjustable screw clamping bolt 24.

The platform consists of a supporting plate 25 with a rubber covering 26. Plate 25 is flanged at each side thereof and these flanges 21 are extended rearwardly in the form of arms 28. Extending inwardly from each arm 28 is a lug 29. Lugs 29 are adapted to be received in dentations 36 formed on the rear edge of flanges I8 as shown. The space between lugs 29 is such that they can be passed over the relatively narrow member [9 to be positioned in dentations 36. The container supporting platform is thus pivotally and adjustably supported on wall I6.

Downward pivotal movement of the platform is limited by rod 3| which extends between flanges 21. Rod 3| is preferably so positioned relatively to the other parts that'it bears on the front of wall l6 when the platform is in place, the latter being horizontally disposed when the rod 3| is in contact with the wall. It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the platform is moved upwardly at its outer end, rod 3| is disengaged from wall l6, so that lugs 29 may be disengaged from the dentations 36 upon which they happen to be resting and may be moved into engagement with another set of dentations. The platform may thus be adjusted as a whole in accordance with the size of the container to be accommodated thereon.

To cooperate with clamp 24 in retaining the container on the oscillator member, the platform may further comprise a lateral retainer. This may take the form of a slide 32 which fits beneath plate 25, the outer end of slide 32 being deformed to provide a pair of spaced upwardly extending retainer tongues 33 with a handle 34 therebetween. Slide 32 is provided with a substantially central longitudinal slot 35 which is traversed by a headed pin 36 integral with and depending from the lower surface of plate 25..

the effective container supporting area or sur-v face. Retainer tongues 33 are kept in snug con- IB is' tact with the outer surface of the container by the action of spring 31 which is secured at one end to projection 38 which is struck downwardly from slide 32, and to the middle of rod 3| at the other end. Handle 34 may be used in withdrawing the slide as well as in raising the outer end of the platform when adjusting the position thereof on dentations 30.

In order to transmit movement from the shaft 39 of the electric motor II to the oscillator assembly i2 while simultaneously converting the rotary movement of the shaft into oscillatory movement of the oscillator assembly, use is preferably made of a double eccentric member l3.

The latter consists essentially of a sleeve portion 40 which fits tightly and concentrically on shaft 39, as shown in Fig. 3. Any suitable and desirable conventional means may be used for securing member l3 on shaft 39. Sleeve 4|] terminates at each end thereof in an eccentrically disposed cam member 4|, one of which fits snugly into the slideway formed by wall l6 and its flanges l8.

To counteract any tendency to undue vibration or whipping of the relatively high speed motor shaft 39, it is preferred according to this invention to dispose the cam members 4| in such manner that they extend from sleeve 40 in diametrically opposite directions, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This opposed positioning of the cams balances them and eliminates tendency of the shaft to vibrate and whip.

It will be evident that the described construction is such that, upon rotation of 39 and of associated member l3, cams 4| will also rotate and such rotation will effect oscillation of member 12 about pin 22 as a pivot, thus producing the desired agitation of the contents of the container mounted in the oscillator assembly and effecting intimate admixture of the ingredients of such con-' tents.

As has previously been noted, the aforedescribed detailed description is directed to a presently preferred form of the invention. It is evident, however, that various slight changes in details may be effectedwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosure as 7 herein set forth is intended to be primarily illustrative and not limitative, the invention being restricted solely by the terms of the definitive claims hereunto appended.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle-holding assembly particularly adapted for use in mixing apparatus of the class wherein a receptacle is oscillated from a source of rotary motive power through the medium of means for converting said rotary power into oscilv latory movement, said assembly comprising a wall, a top and a platform defining a receptacle receiving space, means for adjustably pivotally associating said platform with said wall, said means including a series of lug-receiving dentations on said wall and a pair of lugs on said platform arranged in said dentations, and means on said platform for preventing relative downward pivotal movement of said platform beyond horizontal position, said lugs being dissociable from said dentations and .displaceable relative thereto upon upward pivotal movement of said platform..

2. A receptacle-holding oscillatory assembly comprising a vertical wall, flanges on said wall defining a slideway associable with means for imparting oscillatory motion to said assembly, said flanges being provided with a series of alined dentations on the rear edges thereof, a platform extending laterally from said wall and comprising lugs adapted to be received in a pair of alined dentations, means on said platform adapted to engage said wall for holding said platform in horizontal position relative to the wall, said lugs being moveable from one set of dentations to another upon disengagement of said holding means, a top extending laterally from said wall, said wall and top and platform defining a'receptacle receiving space, means on said top for exerting holding pressure downwardly on. the receptacle, and means on said platform for exerting holding pressure on said receptacle in another direction.

3. A receptacle-holding oscillatory assembly comprising a vertical wall, flanges on said wall defining a slideway associable with means for imparting oscillatory motion to said assembly, said flanges being provided with a series of alined dentations on the rear edges thereof, a platform extending laterally from said wall and comprising lugs adapted to be received in a pair of alined dentations, means on said platform adapted to engage said wall for holding said platform in horizontal position relative to the wall, said lugs being movable from one set of dentations to another upon disengagement of said holding means, a top extending laterally from said wall, said wall and top and platform defining a receptacle receiving space, means on said top for exerting holding pressure downwardly on the receptacle, and means on said platform for exerting holding pressure on said receptacle in another direction, said last-named means comprising spring-pressed tongue members extending upwardly from said platform in a direction substantially parallel with said vertical wall.

JACOB A. LAVINE. 

